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The next stage of the investigation
was to find out what one of these subterranean cities look like
The amount of cement required is extraordinary
for three days they kept pouring until 10 tons of cement
had disappeared down the tubes
After a month they begin the excavation led by
Professor Louis Forchi
It takes weeks to uncover the secret megalopolis of the ants
With the help of mechanical diggers the scientists remove tons of earth
At last they begin to see structure of the city state
There are subterranean highways connecting the main chambers
and of the main routes assigned roads the parts branch
and lead to many fungus gardens and rubbish bins
the tunnels are designed to ensure good ventilation
and provide the shortest transport routes
Everything looks like it has been designed by an architect
a single mind but of course that isn't true
This colossal and complexity
was created by the collective will of the ant colony
the Super organism
The structure covers 50 square meters
and goes eight meters into the earth.
In its construction the colony moved forty tons of soil
Billions of ant loads of soil were brought to the surface.
Each load weighed four times as much as the worker and
-- in human terms -- was carried a kilometre to the surface
It is the equivalent of building the Great Wall of China
It is truly a wonder of the world
But ant cities don't have to be big to be successful
here in this acorn I have another
entire mature colony of an ant species